Run Series
by GoldenGirlGalaxy
Summary: Tired of his life on the island, Sonic takes a leap of faith and runs away. But how will he handle living in another part of the world, one much different than where he was? What changes will he go through? And can he truly run from his past? Sonic Boom AU-ish. Please read and review. (Originally called Run Away)
1. Run Away

**I'm BAAACCCKK!**

 **Sonic: Great. And now I'm here because you finally decided to post something other than Pokemon.**

 **Hey, I just wanted to do something else besides Pokemon for a bit. Not like I'm abandoning the stories, I just wanted to actually have a story that I could actually finish.**

 **Sonic: So what even is this anyways?**

 **Basically, this is part one of a new series I'm making called the Run Series that is based on the idea of Boom Sonic running away from Bygone Island as they don't respect him. The rest of the series focuses on Sonic healing from what happened here and gaining new powers and a new identity to try and push back his old life from memory.**

 **Sonic: Sounds deep, I guess.**

 **Yeah, it's basically here because I think you, in all incarnations including this one, are a person, eh, hedgehog, who would rather explore the world rather than remain on an island for your whole life with barely any change. Even if Eggman normally attacks the place, I still see you as someone who would run around the world a few times when you have the chance.**

 **Sonic: Well, can't deny that. I am a person who would rather run around the world than sit still.**

 **Anyways, Let's Go!**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I only own the plot of this story/series. I do not own the Sonic Boom franchise or the TV show. If I did, the show would be a lot less mundane and the characters would be written better.**

* * *

Sonic Boom: Run Away: **Start**

The ceiling looked rather interesting tonight.

...

Oh, who am I kidding? I just can't sleep anymore. Everything that has happened here, I'm starting to lose my mind. I'm losing my mind at only thirteen years old.

 **(Sonic is 13 at the start of this series)**

Wondering why?

Well, once upon a time, a hedgehog who could run faster than the speed of sound lived his life always traveling, barely giving others a chance to speak to him as he rushed by. He never truly paid attention to anything like only a child could. That was how he lived for years.

After traveling the world so much like this, he soon came upon other Mobians who appeared to be like him with skills surpassing others, be it strength, agility, or smarts. They gave him friendship, something he never had before, though he soon found himself liking it. As the days turned to weeks, then months, then years, the speeding hedgehog soon found himself remaining where he had met his friends, his ways of traveling forgotten in exchange.

Before long, a villain showed up, threatening to hurt people with his mechanical army. The group of friends banded together and saved the day with the speedster leading them. They became the heroes of the village, which they promised to protect for as long as they could. Every crook and villain beware, the team was ready to stop them.

However, problems soon began to arise. While the speedster liked his friends, he soon discovered that they were not as good as they appeared to be, nor was the village he decided to protect. They didn't show much kindness or respect to the speeding hero, but he had trouble seeing it for he had no proper interactions with anyone before he found them. As such, the speedster continued to protect them, never once questioning the fact that they were so mean to him.

And then he realised how terrible that life was.

How could I have been so blind? How did I not see how they were using me?

You might ask when was one of the first times I noticed it.

* * *

" _But I'm not Eggman! I'm Sonic!"_

 _There it was. The memory came back to me as I remember shouting out those words, but in the voice that was not my own. It was Eggman's. My own mind trapped within his body, which was basically torture. I was not at all who I was supposed to be, and I lacked the speed I always relied on._

" _Don't listen to him! I'm Sonic! Look at how blue I am! Must be one of his ingenious plans we all admire him for. Ha ha, friends?"_

 _I remember how my voice was being commanded by his mind. How words with a faintly nervous and stiff edge fell from them quickly, like a man trying to hide the truth._

 _Eggman wasn't even doing that good of a job at being me. The words that came out of his mouth sounded nothing like me._

" _Haha! 'Ingenious plans'! Good one, Sonic!"_

 _Yet, they still thought he was me._

" _Yeeeah... we're making fun of Eggman because we're secretly jealous of him, right? I mean, the brains, the panache, the mustache... He's the total package, eh?"_

 _Seriously, how did they not see it? Eggman is suddenly saying he's Sonic and Sonic is starting to complement Eggman? It was so obvious!_

" _Hahahahaha!"_

 _But they all still believed him. They kept laughing, not even questioning why I would say things like that. As if they never questioned what I said, just as long as I was there._

* * *

Do they even know what I'm like?

No way would I call Eggman's plans "ingenious" because they rarely are! I wouldn't even be able to say that with a straight face unless something was wrong with me. And I would never say I respect him that much even as joke.

I started wondering about how much my friends knew me. I questioned how they could have messed up so badly. I asked myself what would have happened if Tails had never seen the proof that I was right. After that day, a voice in my head appeared, telling me something was wrong with the way that had played out. That something was wrong with my friends and my role as hero. I was quiet, but it whispered constantly.

Eventually, the voice faded away as things returned to normal, and we acted like it never happened, the others never even seeing a problem with how they acted that day. I just decided to think it was a little slip-up on their part. That they thought I was affected by the meteor, making me act a little strange. The idea of switching brains seemed impossible to them.

I honestly thought it was a one time thing and that nothing like that would happen between us again.

* * *

" _Are you pretending that he's attacking you?"_

 _I was soon proven wrong._

" _Okay everyone, enough. We were trying to motivate Eggman so you will have someone to battle."_

 _Eggman had decided to stop his villainy, and I had gone a little crazy in trying to hang out with my friends. Admittedly, I made things pretty bad for them. I was nervous, always thinking that Eggman was tricking us, going to pop out with an army the next second, laughing at us for falling into his trap. I needed to be with them, constantly wanting to hang out with them, to be by them._

 _However, they didn't realise why._

 _They thought I was doing it because I needed challenge and action in my life, something that only Eggman could give me._

 _Yet I was doing it so I would focus on them._

 _So I would focus on them instead of running._

 _My two major hobbies are running and fighting. Without Eggman, there was no reason for me to stay on the island all the time. I would have to taking fighting off as a major hobby, so I would would indulge in my other hobby some more._

 _So I would run._

 _Then I would get bored with running on this island._

 _So I would run to another island and explore before coming back._

 _Then I would get bored with that island._

 _So I would run to the next._

 _Then I would get bored with that island._

 _So I would run to the next._

 _Who knows where I would have gone?_

 _Would it have been better than this island? One that had no more challenge?_

 _But I told myself that I had my friends and I needed to protect them and everyone else from other crooks. I tried to hang out with my team, but I tried too hard to hang out with them all while being concerned that Eggman was just tricking us._

 _I wanted to protect them. I wanted to be with them. I wanted to hang out with them._

 _This made me annoying to them. So they decided to bring back Eggman, who would cause harm to our village, just because they wanted me out of their hair._

* * *

After that event, the voice came back, louder than before. I questioned why they would do this to me. To bring harm to many, us included, when I was just trying to hang out with them, avoiding the possibility that I may run from the island.

Looking back, I realise they never gave me the chance to hang out with them, finding it easier to bring back Eggman that to deal with me. They never gave me any comfort that Eggman wasn't going to come back, to sooth my nerves, instead deciding to make it happen. Just so I would leave them alone.

But, once again, the thoughts faded as I decided they had no idea what I would do with that free time. They had their projects, they probably thought I had my own. They didn't think I could end up running away, there was no way for them to know what it was like to be fast enough to run on water and go anywhere in the world in minutes.

As time went on, more events began popping up where it seemed everyone was against me. It no longer just contained my friends, it extended to the whole village. The village I try to protect almost everyday.

* * *

" _You've been served. Dr. Eggman is suing you."_

 _You're believing the guy who trashes the town every other day? The guy that I normally stop?_

" _Eggman is suing me? Nobody's going to take this seriously."_

 _That's what I thought. That everyone would think it was another one of his schemes. That the hero being sued was a joke, especially against the guy who attacks the town all the time._

" _It's the trial of the century that everyone is taking very, very seriously. This will ruin the life of whomever loses."_

 _But no one else thought that. They believed him despite all he had done. No one believed me after all I had done. A hero guilty while a villain innocent._

 _Was I even the hero if I could lose it in such a way?_

* * *

" _When I grow up, I wanna be just like you!"_

 _How an innocent child could see anything good in him was beyond me. He was a villain, plain and simple. So what if he knew how to make tomato sauce? He probably threatened your life the other day!_

" _Woah-ho, don't set the bar too high; not everybody is cut out for the big time. Just look at that Sonic the Hedgehog guy; whatever happened to him? Is he still a thing?"_

 _But you still see something in him while I'm forgotten and thrown to the side. Someone who dedicates his life to protecting yours, making sure you can grow up to actually live your dreams. I prove my worth everyday, while he gets the spotlight without even trying._

 _Makes me wonder if I ever was a thing._

 _After all, if one was "a thing" like Eggman said, they would be remembered, even if it was by the smallest amount of people. I was forgotten within a day without anyone caring._

* * *

" _Okay, the doctor is in. Talk to me. Just because I'm your sworn enemy, it doesn't mean we can't be friends."_

 _I believed Eggman there. It was stupid, he was my enemy all the time. But the way he talked to me, the compassion, understanding, and kindness leaking off his voice as he spoke, seemed so real. The way he acted, it seemed like he could relate._

" _Sonic! Eggman's not your friend. If you listen to him, you're gonna end up tied to something."_

 _Oh, the irony._

 _Wasn't it you who tied me to this tree before you began showering yourself in praise at a simple victory I could not aid you in?_

 _Wouldn't it be better if you just got rid of me, for I was nothing but an annoyance to you?_

 _Sticks didn't understand. None of them understood. Without my speed, I was nothing. There was nothing I could do that didn't require it. My life felt like it was in pieces because of the rule that had been placed on me. The rule that I couldn't run._

 _I was foolish for believing Eggman, for thinking he wasn't using me, but a part of me wants to relive those few moments he was seemingly helping me. How he talked with me and tried to help me. The tone of voice he used that screamed helpfulness, unlike my "friends" who had been commanding me instead, stopping their help when they thought they couldn't do anything else._

 _That kindness I had been searching for every day after that event in all the villagers and my friends. A type of kindness that showed understanding and a true desire to help._

 _I haven't found it yet._

* * *

" _Whoa-oa! Chill-ax, blue man! What's the big dealio?"_

 _What was the big deal? The fact that this guy appears out of nowhere and takes everything from me. No one could see how he was clearly trying to upstage me. No one saw how fast I was fading away._

" _Let's not go agro, brozilla! Can't help if I'm more handsome, styling', and totally faster than you!"_

 _I was upset beyond belief when he said that. I was the fastest thing alive, no one was going to take that from me until I die. Yet everyone would probably take his side, believing what he had said. Heck, even my friends would probably take his side while giving me small excuses and sorries that meant nothing other than pity._

 _I wonder what would have happened if I left. If he had been normal, would everyone have quickly forgotten me. No one would have cared about the old hero._

* * *

" _It's not what you said, Sonic. It's how you said it."_

 _Exactly how did I say it that it upset so many people? It was just a little comment I had said with a straight face and no other remarks._

 _No remarks calling him weak or useless._

 _No comments about him not being able to do anything._

 _Nothing truly hurtful to him._

 _I had merely called an average joe 'just a guy' because he didn't have any fighting skills but wanted to come to one of the fights against Eggman to 'help'. I didn't want him fighting because he could get hurt._

" _But, I think the town will forgive you if they see you're making an effort to change condescending, high-hand, appallingly insensitive attitude."_

 _In what way was what I said any of those things?_

 _Of course, everyone took that little comment the wrong way, saying that I was being mean and heartless. They took a harmless phrase and blew it up into the most horrible thing ever. They didn't see I was trying to protect someone. They saw a person who thought he was above others._

 _Was it really worth it to protect people who thought that about me?_

* * *

The more these memories filled my head, the more clouded it became. Soon the words started to blur out of these memories, but the actions in them still rang clear.

* * *

 _Eggman's base had been robbed. Despite the fact that he was a bad guy, the police still went to his base and ran an investigation, though I shouldn't have been surprised at this point. I don't remember exactly what happened, but I do remember how they came for me, accusing me for the petty crime._

 _Then the entire Village was against me, claiming I stole things while I hid away from them to find the real crook. I even heard that that old wolf lady wanted to try killing me with poison!_

 _There was only one who was truly nice to me in that time; Earl._

 _He was one of the few people who showed me genuine kindness. He believed that I was good. He helped me, without me even asking him to do so. Without him, I would have never been proven innocent._

 _Unfortunately, he later moved away from the island. Can't say I blame him. With this place as it is, I'm surprised more people aren't leaving._

 _Maybe it's because they're the problem._

* * *

 _A blue aura surround the prison I was in, preventing it from moving. Right beside me was my enemy (most of the time), Eggman. We were in such a cramped space, I'm surprised he didn't start trying to attack me. The horrible fact was that I was not put in here by accident or by another evil. It was my friends._

 _Again, they had grown annoyed with me. This time for just one simple comment! Sure, I may have dragged it out a little, but that was no reason to put me in here._

 _They placed me in a cage where I could not move freely next to a man who could fry me with the laser that he had on his wrist!_

 _I felt claustrophobic, wanting to feel the wind rush through my quills as I sped around only to be met with the blue force field. It cruely cut me off from the rest of the world, letting me only see it with an annoying blue tint._

 _Why in the world would they do this to me?_

 _Did they not care about me?_

 _Am I that much of a bother to them?_

 _I was gripping onto the ice, trying my hardest to stay above the water right below me. Surprising that it was my own friend that put me in this situation, the one that I saw_

* * *

 _as a brother, no less. This was supposed to be a simple game, where he tried to catch me while I avoided his traps. Tails went way too far._

 _He knew I couldn't swim, it was common knowledge at this point._

 _He knew it would be hard for him to save me if I went under, it had happened before._

 _He knew I could drown._

 _I could hear him mocking the sympathy I gave him. It was a dirty trick, and he mocked me for trying to be nice to him in his failures._

 _But this was no longer a game._

 _This was a death trap._

* * *

 _When Tommy Thunder rolled into town, I couldn't believe what everyone thought of him. Seems like I'm the only one who can understand the difference between a hero and an actor. Everyone looked up to him so much, even my friends._

 _He then wanted to follow me around, apparently to figure out how to get into his next role, to which I said no. I didn't want to have another person with so little skills tagging along with us. Unfortunately, he managed to bribe my friends so they would help him get a spot on the team. I eventually let him, only for him to steal my spotlight._

 _He never did anything aside from taking credit for my victories._

 _However, I let him keep that spotlight later on._

 _Why? Because I knew Tommy had an image he wanted to keep._

 _An image that spread hope to people. Something that people looked up to and wanted to be. Despite the fact that he didn't deserve it, I knew it was what everyone wanted._

 _No one wanted me._

* * *

The memories blurred even more to the point where they just flashed in my head. Feelings of loneliness, questioning, and sadness as others radiated hatred and distrust. I felt something drip down my face when I remembered how they tried to force me into the ocean knowing full well that I both couldn't swim and was afraid of the ocean.

Moving my hand to my face, I realise they were tears.

Was this what I had become? A hedgehog who had to cry himself to sleep at night? One who wore a fake smile during the day as he worried about what others would say?

I got off my hammock, trying to shake the feeling, to find some good that was still in my life. The open doorway to the outside was where I soon found myself. New memories flashed in my mind. Not ones of this island, but ones from before I ever found this place. While I was somewhat lonely, I was free.

"We can't just leave."

There it was, the voice in my head. The part of me where I kept telling myself that everything was fine. One that was always trying to tell me there was good in staying on the island. However, the voice had grown quieter over the months as each new event came and went..

" **Yes, we can."**

There was the other voice. It had once been weak, a mere whisper in the back of my mind, before it had grown into a strong, dominant voice. I was telling myself to leave, run again like I had done so long ago.

"The Village might be attacked again."

" **The others can stop it without us. They have before."**

"What if something bad happens to them?"

" **Not everything can be perfect in life. Why should we rot just so they can have it easy? Why should we sacrifice ourselves for those who do not care? For those who wouldn't even care if we left half the time?"**

"They will miss us. When they find out we are gone, they will search endlessly."

" **They will miss our strength. They will miss our leadership. They will miss our popularity. They will not miss us as we truly are. We will be forgotten as soon as they find a new hero."**

"Where will we go?"

" **Anywhere. We have done this before, we can do it again. There is nothing stopping us or hindering us."**

"What are we even going to do?!"

" **Be free. Run away and be free like we were before. If we do not, we will lose our will to live. We will lose our spirit to fight. We will lose who we truly are. We can go somewhere, find some place where we can be respected and free. All we have to do is run."**

The other voice in my head went quiet, my own mind now stuck in realization. I had nothing to lose if I left and everything to lose if I stayed. It was all too true.

The friendships I once had were now bittersweet, rotting as each day passed and slowly becoming a toxic meal. They thought they had me trapped in a cell, one of which I wouldn't ever try to escape, but they never saw how easy it was for me to leave if I looked. They thought they could bend me to their will, using only fake friendship to keep me in place. Not anymore.

Looking out at the ocean, I made my choice. This was not the life I needed.

I quickly moved around my house to gather what I needed.

I grabbed a nicely sized messenger bag I've had ever since my old traveling days. Zipping around my house, I found a few important things to fill the bag with. Food, water, and a blanket were the necessities, along with all the money I had. Moving on, I went to see if there is anything else I want to take.

I look at my coconut husk collection, but I decide against taking it. In reality, it was just some silly hobby I got into to keep off boredom every now and then. Rather pointless now, only serving as a reminder to how much freedom I cut myself off of.

A bit more searching allows me to find my old Enerbeam Generator. While it was a reminder to this place, it was honestly too useful to get rid of.

Again, I search, soon finding something I had stuffed away into a corner. It was a small metal box, about the size of a shoe box. I careful open it to be met with a few objects I had with me during my old travels.

I… I hadn't opened the box in years. Never needed to because I was so focused on everything else.

As I look back in the same corner again, I pull out another object. This time it is a large, hard covered book. It was also from my travels. A book full of stories that I would read almost every night when I would sleep amongst the stars. I think it was a gift I received for one of my earlier birthdays.

I picked up the box and book before putting them in the bag with my other stuff. I also find a spare pair of gloves and shoes, which I decide to take with me. I consider more sports tape, but I decide against it, knowing that it would only remind me of my life here.

As I put the bag on, I remember my communicator. It still rested on my wrist, a faint blue glow coming off it. I rip it off me, tearing the band along with it. I throw it to the floor and stomp right on top of it, crushing it to pieces. In its place on my wrist, I put the old Enerbeam Generator, knowing that the newer one had been connected to the destroyed device.

I'm about to leave when I notice one last thing hanging on the wall. It's a picture of me and my "friends" all standing together as a team. To think, only a few short months ago, I could smile without forcing it while around others. I had fun without others putting me down.

It makes me sick to look at my naive face.

I rip the picture off the wall and throw it into another. The frame shatters, sending small bits of glass and wood flying. The photo that had been within lies lifelessly on the ground, a few pieces of debris on top of it. A part of me feels better, having released some of the stress and anger that had been pent up inside me, but it isn't enough.

Finally, I sling the bag over my shoulder and head to the door. Without looking back, I walk over to the ocean, stopping right in front of the waves as they gently moved in and out. There is nothing but water as far as the eye can see.

I stand there for a minute, as if I'm waiting for someone to see me. To question where I'm going. To stop me from leaving. To tell me that they care and promise to show me kindness. But I know no one will come.

" **Go."**

With my mind compelling me forward, I know the path I must take.

I start running, sprinting across the top of the water. The moon is my guide as it shines down on the waves, lighting my path. A faint sea mist blows through my quills as I run.

It's so… freeing.

For the first time in months, I smile with all my heart.

There is no going back for me. I must make a new life.

I have escaped my cage. The bittersweet taste is replaced by sweet freedom.

My mistakes can be forgotten.

I've finally run away.

Sonic Boom: Run Away: **End**

 _ **To be continued in Story 2: Running with Hope.**_

* * *

 **And Story 1 is done.**

 **Sonic: So... why am I 13 in the story.**

 **The series is supposed to last a few years canonically. I wanted you to remain a teenager rather than have you turn into an adult. Some of the other characters ages are also going to be changed.**

 **Sonic: Now what do I do?**

 **I'm... not sure. Go ask Ash and siblings in the other room. They might know something.**

 **Sonic: 'Kay then. See ya people later! (Runs out of room)**

 **Anyways, I'll try to keep this and my other stories going, but don't hold me to that. If you have any suggestions, feel free to send them to me via review or PM.**

 **To all my readers, watchers, and reviewers out there, Stay Golden!**


	2. RA Extra Chapter: Repent and Regrets

**I'm back!**

 **Sonic: Everyone run in terror!**

 **Not funny.**

 **Sonic: Is to me!**

 **Anyway, this isn't the next chapter of the story. This is just a little thing I wanted to do before I went on to the next book of the story.**

 **Sonic: And you are doing this in books why?**

 **Because it covers several different adventures that are based on your games and other forms of media, including different characters and elements as you try to get over what happened on Bygone Island. I thought it would get too messy if I put it all together in one story.**

 **Sonic: So what's the extra chapter about?**

 **Just a feel trip about what happened when they found out you were gone and someone's regrets.**

 **Sonic: Okay.**

 **Now for some reviews!**

 **bajy-Yeah, he does have it rough.**

 **IcyPinkFlower- Thanks! I honestly am not that into Sonic Boom at times, but I believe anything can become good with the right writers and ideas. Though, I should warn you that not everything is always as good as another. There is at least two other stories I've seen of Sonic Boom that is decently good, but not all of them are that good at times. Like I said, it can often times come down to the writer and the ideas. I hope you'll still keep up with the _Run_ series though.**

 **VarietyRandomGamer- Yes, they are.**

 **VarietyRandomGamer (Part 2)-Here are your feels! Also, I'll post in this story when the next book is coming out, so you can check my page when it does come out (which should be very soon).**

 **Sonic: Done?**

 **Yep. Let's go!**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic Boom. If I did, it would be more interesting, everyone would become nicer, and there would have been an episode where everyone realizes how much they need Sonic in there lives.**

* * *

Run Away: Extra Chapter: **Start**

 **Tails POV**

Sonic is gone. And we caused it. Though no one else will believe that.

I found out one day after a battle with Eggman. It was pretty rough, and Sonic wasn't answering his communicator at all. All that came up was static. When we did win, though not without some great effort, everyone thought that Sonic was just too lazy or busy to help.

But something was wrong, I knew it right away. The communicators always went to voicemail, never static, if the person wasn't picking up. Yet, I was naive in believing that the problem was that Sonic's communicator was broken. I never even considered the fact that I hadn't seen him in a week.

Going over to his shack, I was surprised to find it ransacked, or at least from my view point. Things were overturned and scattered about, there was no food or any other basic supplies, and two objects lay broken on the floor: Sonic's communicator, shattered, and a picture of us and our team, the frame broken into bits against a wall.

Panic getting the better of me, I instantly told the team and the rest of the village. Police began to make his house a crime scene, checking every bit of evidence. I was also there, using my skills in science to run some tests. And to make sure nothing was out of place or tampered with because the cops aren't always the best at making sure everything is left as is when investigating.

The police quickly gave up, for there was no signs that pointed towards anyone kidnapping him. So I went to Vector, hoping that his detective expertise could help.

He had looked around Sonic's shack for only an hour before coming to a conclusion. It shocked me what he suggested along with everyone else.

He said Sonic had run away.

The evidence was all there to say he ran away. There was no signs of struggle, which is what would have happened if he had been kidnapped, as Sonic wouldn't be one to give up in the middle of a fight. Sonic had to be in the shack, or else his communicator wouldn't be on the floor and busted like it was. Vector also pointed out that only a few things were missing, and when the place was ransacked it was only in a few places. Almost like the person who had done so knew what he was looking for.

Everyone went into denial right away. They all said Sonic had no reason to leave. Sure, he was a free spirit, but he had a home, friends, and people to protect. Surely he wouldn't just give up on them.

But I saw the truth behind what Vector was saying.

It wasn't direct, but I saw it in his eyes. He was saying WE drove Sonic away.

Not only was Sonic just a free spirit, but he hated being controlled. Yet everyone was trying to do so. We forced him to act one way, never letting his true self being his major character. He was pushed into trial after trial after trial, everyone focusing on themselves and not him. And even then, we never gave him the respect he deserves.

Everything Vector tried to convince them of was brushed to the side. They saw Sonic as having no reason to run away. He had everything he needed. No one else could see that we had caused so much trouble for him. They didn't see the respect we had failed to give him.

I should have helped him, it was only right to do so after he had acted as my big brother for all these years. Yet I turned my back on him more times than I would like to remember, just because of my inventions or going with the crowd.

* * *

" _Are you pretending that he's attacking you?"_

 _Those words that seemed so pointless then broke my heart now. The shock was present in his voice, questioning why we would do such a thing._

" _Okay everyone, enough. We were trying to motivate Eggman so you will have someone to battle."_

 _I had agreed with that full heartedly back then. Sonic just seemed to get in the way of my inventions, making a mess while he was at it. It was harder for me to deal with him constantly than with Eggman attacks every once and awhile._

 _But he just wanted someone to hang out with, and I went against my duty as his little brother so I could have my peace. My inventions were top priority in my heart at the time._

 _I never considered how Sonic felt._

 _I never thought of the consequences._

 _Sonic wasn't a person to me at that moment._

 _He was just something that needed to be dealt with._

* * *

" _Okay, the doctor is in. Talk to me. Just because I'm your sworn enemy, it doesn't mean we can't be friends."_

 _It was strange to see Eggman trying to help Sonic. To offer him kindness when they were enemies. Even more surprising was when Sonic agreed. Now it hurts my heart to know how desperate Sonic was to get his speed back._

" _Sonic! Eggman's not your friend. If you listen to him, you're gonna end up tied to something."_

 _I could have done more to help him._

 _I could have found out where the sound was coming from._

 _I could have been smarter and more active in helping Sonic._

 _Instead, I gave up as soon as I reached a dead end. I didn't even care about it, thinking that Sonic would be fine without his speed. That he would find some way to live life without his biggest talent and favorite thing to do._

 _No wonder Sonic had fallen into Eggman's trap, I had practically pushed him in._

 _I pushed him in by doing nothing._

 _I pushed him in by relaxing after giving no effort in helping him._

 _I pushed him in by celebrating a simple victory without him._

 _I pushed him in by going back to fooling around while he went with the doctor._

* * *

" _Whoa-oa! Chill-ax, blue man! What's the big dealio?"_

 _Swifty seemed like the perfect guy back then. He was cool, he was friendly, and he had great charm. He was so cool, that I didn't see how rude he was to Sonic. Simple things like being called 'bro' by him seemed like such an achievement._

" _Let's not go agro, brozilla! Can't help if I'm more handsome, styling', and totally faster than you!"_

 _It didn't take me forever to see that Swifty wasn't the best, but that was only because I saw how he acted in front of Sonic. Yet it was only there that I noticed. I didn't even notice it when he was directly antagonizing Sonic and practically causing him physical pain!_

 _Had he not acted out of character to spite Sonic, I would have still liked him. But did I even hate him after he had said such things to Sonic? Or was I still under his influence even after that?_

* * *

" _It's not what you said, Sonic. It's how you said it. But, I think the town will forgive you if they see you're making an effort to change condescending, high-hand, appallingly insensitive attitude."_

 _The words Amy said were even worse than what Sonic had said. While he couldn't get by with doing something that was basically HIS JOB, others could throw all the mean words at him for merely doing such a thing. Calling someone 'just a guy' wasn't the worst thing in the world, and it was true that Mike couldn't fight at all._

 _I had been slightly supportive of him in the beginning, but soon I found myself falling into the crowd. I wanted Sonic to learn his lesson, even if he didn't need to learn it in the first place. It seemed right, but that was only because everyone was going along with it. I should have stuck by Sonic, he needed the support more than anyone else._

 _But I guess the crowd made it seem like one was right and one was wrong._

* * *

 _I remember the day that Eggman had tricked all of us. All, but Sonic._

 _Each one of us had helped him unintentionally, Eggman using our mental weaknesses against us everytime. The only reason Sonic even got into trouble was because of my invention and because he was asleep._

 _However, despite Sonic merely saying that he was the one who had defeated Eggman, we decided to stuff him in a cage for him doing so. Sure, it was mostly a team effort, but did we deserve any credit?_

 _As I said, Sonic would have been fine if he was the first one to fight. He was also the only one who wasn't tricked. Me and the others, we deserved to be berated and laughed at. If Eggman was malicious enough, that could have been the end of him, trapped in a cage without escape._

 _Yet, we stuffed him into a cage without second thought. We thought that he was being rude, that he deserved to be punished. Even though this was a guy who wanted Sonic gone and was annoying too._

 _We were the ones that deserved punishment. After all, we failed as heroes._

 _But we never saw it that way._

* * *

 _The blame wasn't always on everyone. Sometimes, I was the only one to blame._

 _There was a time when I was convinced I could capture Sonic, my brains beat his speed. Each time I failed, I only grew more and more frustrated. I was capable, so why couldn't I capture one speedy hedgehog?_

 _But I went too far._

 _I used Sonic's kindness against him, the same kindness he gave me whenever I was sad or emotionally unstable. Then I made him face his own fear, making him nearly fall into the icy cold water, such a torture I had once saved him from. It could have even been the death of him had I not been careful._

 _I was tricked into harming my own brother, but the fault is mine alone._

* * *

 _Sometimes my own genius made me blind to what I was doing to Sonic._

 _I has wanted to help Sonic by increasing his speed, but I was so focused on the experiments, I never considered that I might be hurting him. He was smashed into objects at high speed, often times clearly in pain, and I ignored all of it. My brother was hurt, and I was causing it._

 _Perhaps I noticed it when Sonic had so eagerly ran out with the device, but I pushed off into the back of my head a minute later, distracted by this new experiment. He was ready to stop with the useless and torturous experiments that we so carelessly put him through. He was ready to get away from us, even if the machine didn't work._

 _At least he wouldn't be tortured after that._

* * *

It was hard for me to get over Sonic leaving. I'm still not over it entirely. I want to see him again, to have him be here for me when I'm scared, to be able to cry into his chest when I'm sad. I want to have him come back and be able to play with him like we did a few years back, before I was so focused on my machines.

But I no longer have the right to do that.

Part of me wants to go off the island to look for him, but I know I can't. There is no way for me to track him and I don't know if my machines will be able to handle extensive flight. He could be anywhere in the world, maybe even with a new look that I wouldn't recognize right away. And what would I even be able to do? I'm eight, for crying out loud!

That's not even to say Sonic wants me back, and I don't blame him if that's not the case. I've done too much against him to even think about coming back to him without any repercussions.

It's been about a month since he left. Maybe longer, maybe shorter, I honestly can't tell anymore. Days seem to squish together, no longer holding any meaning. Everyday seems the same. Without Sonic, there is no fun, no extra moments to each day that make it special.

The team also seems to be on edge, but I can tell they hold no remorse for what they did to Sonic. Instead, their own faults seem to multiply each day, primarily due to the fact we no longer have our straight man and leader.

Amy seems to have basically given up on Sonic coming back, so she acts even bossier, trying to act as our new leader, as well as losing most of her compassion. Knuckles is still dumb as ever, but seems to focus more on his strength and acts as if he's the best out of all of us. Sticks is even more paranoid, but I honestly stopped paying attention to her rants as they grew more and more silly.

As for me, I still tinker with machines, but not as much as I did, nor are they as crazy as they once were. Everyday, I also take time to leave my workshop and go around the wilderness of the island, away from the village, for it was my workshop and the people I wanted to follow so badly that helped me turn against my brother. I hardly even interact with anyone anymore, only the occasional meetup when I go to get supplies or Eggman attacks. All in all, I'm a wreck without my brother, my mood almost always depressed and regretful.

I pray that Sonic will one day return to the island. Not to stay, he definitely wouldn't do that, but enough that I could apologize for my actions. I don't even care if I would have to cry at his feet and kiss the ground he walks on, I just want him to know I'm sorry.

All I can do is hope that I will one day see him again. To let him know that someone regrets the pain we put him through.

All in all, I hope he's happy now that he's run away.

Run Away: Extra Chapter: **End**

* * *

 **Next I'll try to get out _Book_ _2: Run with Hope._ I'll post when I'm done with it here.**

 **Sonic: Good luck with that. I'll be over with Ash, Molly, and Tomo in the other room.**

 **What are you even doing in there?**

 **Sonic: Mostly random games. I still need to get back at Molly.**

 **Why?**

 **Sonic: I lost 50 rings to her while we were playing Poker! I swear, she's psychic or something.**

 **She IS psychic. At least the way I made her.**

 **Sonic: ...**

 **...**

 **Sonic: I'm going to go bang my head on a wall for five minutes before seeing them.**

 **Have fun with that.**

 **Sonic: *leaves room**Head banging can be heard***

 ***Ahem* To all my readers, watchers, and reviewers out there, stay Golden!**


	3. Run with Hope: The Runaway

**NEW CHAPTER IS UP!**

 **Sonic: Okay...**

 **Be more excited!**

 **Sonic: Nah. Besides, you took forever!**

 **Well, I was going to post this last Sunday, but there was some problem where I couldn't upload.**

 **Sonic: Excuses, excuses.**

 **Fine then. Anyways, I decided to put the books together, seeing as it will keep everything all in one place.**

 **Sonic: And this book is about...**

 **More or less, it's before some of the major conflict, but involves you overcoming some of your fears of being hurt mentally by others, with some new help.**

 **Sonic: Then let's get on with it!**

 **First, the reviews!**

 **bajy- Thanks! And, yeah, you are going to feel sorry for Tails, but he's trying to punish himself for what he did until he feels like he's made it up to Sonic. Not so much that he's playing the victim as he is trying to punish himself out of guilt, as currently no one else will admit to the crimes they caused.**

 **Quantum27- Thanks for being interested! This is kinda going to capture some of my feelings on the show, though it will stray away after awhile, as Sonic is trying to forget what has happened to overcome his feelings. And, yeah, that is an accurate description.**

 **MadameMirage77- For your first question, yes, he has already met Shadow. This AU is more or less a case where everything was set back two years, but it still happened. The time shift is more or less because I want Sonic to still be young(ish) before it ends.** **Second point, yeah, that's pretty true, or the characters constantly change in an unrealistic way, though if you want to rant you can just PM me. I wouldn't actually mind hearing what you have to say.** **Third point, that's how I feel about Amy too. At least fangirl Amy had some passion to her, though I like her more in the comic's where she acts as an equal to Sonic, with the occasional fangirl moment that more or less drives he passion. Boom!Amy seems to think she's above everyone and constantly switches from trying to be compassionate to being ruder that those she calls rude. It actually makes me hate the fact that they try to support Sonic X Amy in the show, Sonic doesn't deserve to be stuck with her.** **Fourth and fifth points, you can rant to me if you want, on PM so it's easier for me to reply, as I'd love to hear your complete thoughts on the matter. Also, tell me what chapter that was where Boom!Knuckles gets beat up. I have to see that!**

 **Guest- Thanks!**

 **VarietyRandomGamer- Thanks! And the story is really only going to be in Sonic and Tails' POV, though might have the occasional shift if I feel like it needs to be. Who knows, I might start having a lot more POV switches when need be to show different characters reactions.**

 **IcyPinkFlower- Yeah, Tails is a bit too late, by like a week. But he will still be in the story, just in the extra chapters after each book. And I think Sonic will meet up with some characters from other series for different plot points, but he won't become his shorter, modern design as I don't think it would make sense. He will still change in appearance though.**

 **MentalityWriter- Well... Here you go!**

 **And with that all out of the way, Let's Go!**

* * *

 **Disclaimer, I do not own Sonic Boom. If I did, the plots wouldn't be so cliche. At least, I hope.**

* * *

Book 2: Run with Hope; **Begin**

My name is Sonic the Hedgehog.

And I am on the run.

About a week ago, I had finally run away from the island that had trapped me with false friendship and praise. I had regained my freedom that same night.

However, things are still a little rocky for me. I'm not completely back into the swing of traveling yet, so it's a bit harder to survive on my own. Worse, even though a week has passed, I haven't even come across the mainland, just a bunch of small islands. My speed must be worse than I thought.

"We shouldn't have left. We can't survive out on our own."

 **"We just need to get back into the swing of things. It was like this the first time anyways. A bit of time to regain our footing and we'll be running around the world in five seconds."**

"We haven't even found enough land to properly settle on."

 **"Well those jerks back on the island made us lose our speed! If we actually had more time to run around instead of fighting weak villains, and I use the term loosely, our speed wouldn't have dropped!"**

"We can't keep running forever!"

 **"Yes, we can!"**

"No, we can't!"

I groan from hearing the voices again. Every single time I think of my choice, the two voices argue again. I guess it's just me fighting with myself, wondering if it was right to leave. Or I'm starting to descend into madness, which, at this point, I wouldn't deny.

I still wasn't going back, though, no matter how much the voice of opposition grew in strength. You don't just leave the island your protecting with your house basically ransacked only to come back later and admit you tried to run away. That would just add even more problems to the life I once had.

However, there is still the issue of survival. Because I haven't found the mainland yet, I haven't able to get any food aside from fruits I've found on the few islands I did stop at. Worse yet, I've already eaten most of my stock I brought with me (curse you high metabolism!). If I don't find a decent place to stay, well, I don't even want to think about that.

I look out to the horizon to see that the sun, close to setting in the blushing sky. Despite being able to see in the dark if I let my eyes adjust, I know I should look for a place to rest that isn't out in the open. I don't need to pass out in the middle of the ocean, or worse, have someone find me.

Searching the horizon, I see land, but I can't tell if it's an island or the mainland. Either way, I rush over and stop once I am finally on dry land. I sit back in the slightly warm sand, looking at the sunset as I think about what my life is shaping up to be.

I already lost my sports tape, the ocean spray making it too wet for me to keep wearing. I discarded it on the first island I came across, burying it in the sand where it will not be found. It was strange to be running around without it, almost like I'm half naked, but I know it's for the best. After all, it would only remind me of them…

However, despite my lack of the icon tape, I know I need to change myself even more. My clothes, or lack thereof, are still too recognizable if someone from Bygone Island did find me. Heck, I probably could use a bit of a haircut or something, make it harder for them to realize who I am. Maybe dying my quills would work.

Before that, I also need to find something to do for a living. I know there are some jobs you can get as a traveler, so I need to find one before I run out of islands with free fruit. I'm pretty sure I took some odd jobs before I became a hero, given that my speed makes me pretty desirable in places where things need to get done fast. Then again, I also got money for being a hero…

 **"Don't even think about it! Anyone else will just do what those jerks did to you!"**

"Oh, for crying out loud! Not everyone we meet is going to be like that!" 

**"How would you know?"**

"If you are not even going to consider returning to Bygone Island, I'll let that go. But at least give the rest of the world a chance! Not everyone will be a total jerk. There are still people out there who need saving."

 **"How would you know, anyways?"**

"Because we've seen it before."

I was surprised at how the softer voice became so firm. Perhaps it's not focusing on returning to Bygone Island. The harsher voice seemed to shut up, probably because the soft voice used its own words against it.

Eventually, I push myself back onto my feet, ready to find a place to sleep. It would do me no good if I remained out in the open, aside from maybe being able to find a ship to the mainland.

I move deeper into the island, through the dense forest. It's hard, dense with lots of easy to trip over roots, not being helped by the fact the sun had gone down, but I managed to make it rather deep.

As I keeping moving, my mind starts to wander, going back to the frie- no, ex-friends, that I left behind. I wonder if they even know I'm gone yet. No telling if they found out the day after I left or if they still haven't figured it out, seeing as they didn't see me everyday. Heck, they might not even look beyond the island for months, or even at all.

Eventually, my train of thought is broken when I walk face first into a rock wall.

I grip my sore nose in my hand before looking up at what I had run into. The forest had broken only a few feet before it, leaving a small amount of clear space before the wall halted any other progress.

Looking up, I saw that the wall had to be at least a few stories high and hardly anything on it, almost like someone carved the face.

Curious, I started walking around the outside, hand on the wall to guide me, trying to see if there was anything, like a cave I could sleep in or a tunnel that would lead me through the huge rock. I may have slept outside before, sure, but right now I wanted to stay covered.

Thankfully, a cave appeared along the walls, though I almost fell over by keeping my hand on the vanishing wall. It doesn't go very deep, but it's just enough to hide my body from anyone who might look down from above. A blue hedgehog isn't exactly the most camouflaged animal in the world after all.

I place my bag down before digging around inside it, pulling out some fruit and bottled water. Sitting down in my little shelter, I dig into the little meal I have. The fruit is sweet and the water helps sooth my somewhat scratchy throat.

As I eat, I look out at the forest not even five feet away from me. Rather nice, I must say, as I've always enjoyed the more natural world as opposed to big cities. Maybe because I'm a little antisocial at times, maybe because I can do more with my speed when others aren't around. Perhaps that's why I even stayed on that island. It was so underdeveloped that I was close to nature. I could use my speed without fear of anything going wrong, like breaking windows with a sonic boom. Though I never really needed to do that much anyways.

With my small supper out of the way, I pull out my blanket and a small pillow from my bag before settling down to sleep in my little cave.

As I shut my eyes, my mind is still going a million miles an hour, as it has been for the past few nights. I'm worried that I'll wake up inside my shack, finding out this was all a dream, or that they'll have found me, dragging me back to the island without my consent. Heck, Eggman could know where I am right now, one of his robot spies trailing me, waiting to strike.

My mind starts to wander back to the people I left. I wonder how they will act once they know I am gone.

Will they be happy? Sad? Angry? Depressed? Will they just forget about me after a few weeks, as they had done so many times before?

How would Amy react, the girl who I know loves me but was a little creepy about it? Would she be in denial, thinking that I would never run away from 'our love' (ugh!)? Would she be angry, waiting for me to come back in order to pound my face in? Would she just find someone new to follow around like a love-sick puppy?

How would Knuckles react, the guy I had a decent friendship with but was too dumb and overconfident to be there all the time? Happy that he could now be the leader like he always wanted? Sad that he no longer had a friend? Or would he not even notice, going back to his weightlifting and trying in vain to get some girl to notice him?

How would Sticks react, the girl who was unfamiliar with society but was so crazy she would hardly trust anything? Would she become crazier thinking I had strangely vanished? Would she go into hiding out of fear? Would she just forget about me during one of her crazy rants?

And, of course, how would Tails react, the boy that had become my brother and the one I had tried my hardest to protect, even when he turned against me? Depressed I was no longer by his side to help him? Glad I wouldn't be there to annoy him any longer? Or would he just go back to his inventions, never even realising I left?

"I'm sure at least someone will miss us."

 **"Maybe. But they shouldn't have gone against us. They shouldn't have gone with the crowd and pretended to be like them if they wanted us to stay."**

"Quiet," I mumble to the voices. I really don't want to hear them anymore, or at least for the rest of the night.

Fear is still a problem for me as I try to sleep. The thought of anyone finding me is even worse than my fear of water at this point. At least water can't hunt you down. You can avoid with ease, or, in my case, run over it.

Before I start to become an insomniac, I try to go over ideas in my head. Ones that will help me prevent my fear from coming true. Ideas that hold hope for a better future.

 _I know I need to change myself so none of them can find me, be it Eggman, my ex-friends, or any of those good-for-nothing villagers,_ I think, _My personality could stay as I don't even think they know what I'm really like, but I need to change my appearance. I should also change up the way I fight, that would be the thing they would recognize the most about me. Not that I had a strong fighting style in the first place. Would I have to change my name? Or is Sonic a common enough name? Now that I think about it, is 'The Hedgehog' even a part of my real name?'_

The thoughts in my head began to blur, exhaustion finally started kicking in and pulling me into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

 **Well, that's done!**

 **Sonic: Good. Now I'm going back to the other room.**

 **Alright. At this rate, I might as well just build a rec room here anyways.**

 **Sonic: Sounds good. (Leaves room)**

 **Anyways, I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible, so long as nothing goes wrong.**

 **To all my readers, writers, and reviewers, Stay Golden!**


	4. Run with Hope: The Garden Residents

**Okay, so here's the next chapter for Run with Hope. This book should only last around one or two more chapter, most likely two. This book was more to introduce characters and ideas, which will come up more in the next few chapters.**

 **Sonic: Just write the darn thing! You take so long!**

 **Well, sorry! But I'm typing on a computer that isn't the greatest for it! Also, I have to deal with some driver's ed stuff, which is a pain, considering I have no where to go and I don't even have a phone to help me out if I get into some trouble, like if my car breaks down.**

 **Sonic: Just run. (smirks)**

 **Shut up! Anyways, review time, I guess.**

 **IcyPinkFlower: Sorry it took me so long, I guess. I just had some trouble with this one. And, no, this is not at the village. The way I'm doing this is that the village/Tails' stories come at the end of each book, as extra chapters, sometimes with elements that intersect the main story. And thanks everything else.**

 **MadameMirage77: Yeah, Sonic does need a hug, and he basically gets it in this one. Yay! And your ideas are very interesting, I hope you eventually post them somewhere for others to see. As for the points on cannon Sonic Boom, yeah, those things are all true. I honestly wish the writers would go more in depth about some of the plot points they make. And I will try to portray Shadow as slightly disconnected when he appears in the story, but open to working with others if it gets the job done, with him slowly opening up as time passes.**

 **Quantum27: Yeah, I thought the voices would be an interesting idea to show the inner struggle Sonic is going though, which changes into something much bigger much later.**

 **Lilytigerlover: First of all, thanks! Second, I do enjoy some of your ideas, though I will probably only use them mixed with my own ideas, as I do have some plans for the future chapters. I'll still give you some credit though, and you can PM me if you want to chat about any ideas, I'd love to hear them. Also, you can call me either one, or Triple G if you want, and what you said in the last paragraph will be true for the most part, but that won't happen until the last book, which is still far off.**

 **Guest: I'm not sure about putting them in or not. I have Sonic connecting with two people who become like a family to him, and I'm not sure how I would include Sonia or Manic. I'll keep it in mind, though.**

 **sonic vs evil: Interesting interpretation, though I am having trouble understanding it at points, but it does cover how Sonic feels at the moment. Will it change over time? Who knows? (Sonic: Hint, she does)**

 **Theonesonicfan: Well you stay Sonically awesome too! (Sonic: Don't)**

 **With that out of the way...**

 **Sonic: Let's go!**

* * *

I'm barely conscious when I feel something poke my ear. My hand instinctively moves up, swatting whatever it is away. Probably a bug or bird that decided to come up to me. But it returns, this time tugging at my ear. I stir more, not ready to wake, and swat the annoyance away. Finally, whatever it is grabs my ear and starts shaking it, along with the rest of my head. Unable to take it anymore, my head shoots off my pillow to find whatever decided to wake me up. My hands also shoot up, managing to grab the creature in a swift motion.

But before I take a look at whatever I caught, my jaw drops at the the area around me. I'm not in the little cave anymore, not even close.

It looks like some kind of rock stadium, or at least I think so because all around me are rock walls. There's no roof, giving view to clear blue skies. No doubt the sun would shine through when it is high enough, but that isn't now, so shadows cover everything. Built into the stone are several different rock columns and even a few tunnels, almost as if they were hand carved than formed naturally. Aside from that, there are waterfalls that lead into sparkling cleans pools and numerous fruit trees. The grass is green and soft, swaying slightly whenever a gentle breeze finds its way in, something that is way more comfortable than a dirt floor.

All in all, it's a beautiful sight to see. A regular paradise if I've ever seen one, and I've been around the world, even if it was in my youth.

However, I snap out of my musings when whatever it is in my hands struggles, trying to escape in my distracted thoughts. Looking down, I see a creature I've never seen before.

It's pretty small, about the size of a teddy bear with a round form, plus stubby arms and legs. Its head is a teardrop shape with a yellow ball somehow floating above the very top. It's primarily a sky blue color with a few bits of yellow on the ends of its feet, hands, and head. Pink is the only other color, with a pair of pink wings on its back and two pink hearts on its cheeks.

As I hold it, I notice the fearful look as it shakes in my hands, too shocked to run.

"What are you?" I ask it.

"Ch-chao! Chao chao chao chao!" It shouts in fear, "Chao cha chao chao chao!"

Well, that doesn't help me.

"Is that all you can say?"

The creature nods, still nervous. Yes, this would _clearly_ be easy…

"Wait, is this like that one video game where you say the name of your species?"

The creature looks at me, tilting its head to the side in confusion. I facepalm, remembering I am in the middle of some unknown rock formation that I didn't go into by myself, on the middle of an island with no traces of civilization, speaking with a creature that likely never had any contact with the outside world, much less video games.

"Are you a… Chao?"

It nods.

"Okay then...Chao, why were you poking my ear? I was just sleeping."

"Chao! Cha chao chao chao chao!"

"...I have no idea what you just said. Guess this is going to turn into twenty questions."

The Chao gave me a weird look in reply.

"Of course you wouldn't know what twenty questions is," I mutter to myself before explaining. "I ask you a yes or no question and you nod for yes or shake your head for no, and hopefully we'll get somewhere."

The Chao nods.

"Okay. Were you poking my ear to play with me?" I ask.

It shakes its head.

"Were you poking me because you wanted to see if I was dangerous?"

It nods.

"Okay, understandable. Is there anyone else here who can speak like me?"

It hesitates before shaking its head. Strange, but it doesn't help me.

"There goes any hope for someone who can explain directly what's going on. Okay, do you live here?"

Nod.

"Is this still on the island with the very tall rock walls?"

It gives me another weird look before nodding.

"Does anyone come here often?"

Shake.

"Is this place special?"

A hesitation before a slow nod.

"Are there others of your kind that live here?"

Another hesitation before a nod.

"Did one of you bring me here?"

It looks at me, confused, before shaking its head.

"You don't want people coming here, don't you?"

One final nod.

"It's okay, little guy, I won't tell anyone," I tell the Chao.

"Chao!" It says angrily before looking away in a huff.

I look at it before I realise what it is mad about.

"Oh, little girl."

She calms down a little as she looks up to me, no longer as nervous as before. I let her go as she doesn't want to run anymore. She ends up floating right next to my head.

"My name is Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog," I tell her, "But… I'm not sure why I'm here. I fell asleep in a small cave on the outside of this place, I think, not in this place. I'm not here to do anything bad to you or to your kind, I swear. I was just passing through. I didn't even know what a Chao was five minutes ago."

She looks up to me, almost as if in disbelief.

"If you want me to leave, I can go. If you show me the way, that is, considering I don't know how to get out."

"Chao! Cha Chao Chao!" She says frantically, as if she doesn't want to be rude. Or maybe there haven't been that many pleasant guests, and she doesn't want to insult the first pleasant one in forever.

"Well, I guess I can stay around here… for a bit. And if you let me."

She nods, and a happy smile breaks out across her face. I gladly return it.

There's a moment of silence between us, neither one knowing what to do, before my stomach breaks it, growling loudly. The Chao laughs as my face turns bright red.

"Sorry about that," I sheepishly chuckle, "It's morning after all. I blame my high metabolism."

The Chao doesn't say anything before she grabs my hand, trying to pull me up. I went along with it, rising and letting her drag me to a nearby fruit tree. She lets go for a second, flying up into the tree and coming down with two pieces of fruit.

She hands me one, which I happily take from her, eager to sooth my hunger. I bite into it, letting the sweet juice flow into my mouth, a nice little drink in the morning. The Chao also bites into hers, letting out joyful mumbles as she does, the ball above her head somehow turning into a heart.

"Man, this is some of the best fruit I've ever had," I tell her.

"Chao!" She replies, agreeing with me.

When I'm done, I walk over to one of the waterfalls and rinse the juice from my hands and face.

"I wish I had this kind of fruit back on… the island…"

A few memories come back to me, about those times on the islands. How everyone had changed. I don't even realises I froze until I feel the Chao poking me again. I look over to see her concerned face staring at me, little eyes digging into my soul.

"It's nothing," I tell her, trying to put her at ease, "Just some old memories I haven't gotten over yet. I just need some time with them."

When that doesn't stop her gaze, I change the subject.

"Do you like playing games?" I ask.

That changes her demeanor, as she suddenly become very happy.

"Alright! Do you know how to play tag?"

She happily nods before tapping my arm, flying up into the sky.

"Chao chao!" She shouts to me.

I smirk. "You're not getting away from me that easily!"

The Chao giggles as she flies off into the air. I chase after her, starting the game.

In almost no time at all, I catch up to her, thanks to my greater speed. However, the little creature proves she's not one to be caught easily, as she flies into the air the second I'm close, way to high for me to jump after her. Clearly, I have to think a bit outside of the box. But it is no fun if I'm the only one with the advantage.

Look around, I see the stone pillars rising up from the ground. A plan forms in my head, so I waste no time in executing it. Picking up speed, I run for the Chao again, but this time I move to the side, right to one of the pillars. A little hop to the side puts me against it, and I bound off before gravity can pull me down to the floor again. The next pillar comes into reach, so I shift myself until my feet connect with the stone structure, bouncing off of it too.

This process repeats, shifting and bounding as I grow closer to her form. The Chao doesn't see me coming.

One second she's flying, the next she's falling to the ground in my arms.

I land the jump on bent knees, absorbing any shock from the fall. I release my playmate, who flies right next to me, slightly in shock. I raise up my finger, before gently jabbing her head.

"You're it."

And then I run off at an average pace, trying to give her a chance.

I hear a shout behind me, one I can tell is from the Chao and no doubt calling me out on my mischievousness. That would be if I could understand her, but the tone is enough to get the message through.

I keep up my pace, wanting to give her a chance to catch up. What I don't expect, however, is for her to suddenly pop up in front of me. I instantly hit the breaks, creating a small dust cloud as I land right in front of her. With a quick motion, she flies right into my face, hitting me on the nose as she flies back into the air.

"Chao cha!" She shouts at me.

I smile up at her, ready to chase again.

It goes on like this for what I could only guess was close to half an hour, only a tad more intense as we stop underestimating one another. The Chao would keep her eyes on me when I would come from behind, ready to dodge if I got close enough. And I had to keep an eye out when she chased, because she knew her way around. Something she used to her advantage.

After our game, we both stop and take a break by one of the trees. I honestly could keep going, limitless stamina and all that, but the Chao looks like she's about to pass out. Still, she keeps a content and happy smile on her face as she lays in my lap, and I pet her slightly, which she greatly enjoys, giving out small coos.

"That was really fun," I tell her, "I haven't had that much fun in awhile. Not since… since…"

I instantly regret bringing it up.

My hands stop moving as an old memory washes over me.

* * *

 _It was about a year ago that I stopped having so much fun, probably the time everything started going so badly. The time I could stop acting like a kid, the time I stopped having fun._

 _I had approached Tails' workshop, where he was fast at work at some sort of project. Goggles on, a welding tool in hand, a few sparks flying, it was easy to see why he was the brains of our team. I had walked over to him, calmly putting a hand on his shoulder. It didn't startle him, so he just looked over and gave me a small smile._

" _Hey, Sonic!" He greeted as normal._

" _Hey, buddy," I responded, "Whaddya working on?"_

" _Just some basic upgrades to my plane," he explained, "Always need to keep advancing, you know?"_

" _Yeah, yeah, you and your plane, sitting in a tree and every other joke people can make," I responded, "After you're done, want to go play?"_

 _Tails' face turned neutral. "Sorry, Sonic, but I've got some other inventions to work on today. I don't think I'll have enough time."_

" _Ummm… Okay? How about tomorrow?"_

" _Sorry, I'm going to be out on a test flight, and when I'm done I have some computer software to work on."_

" _The day after?"_

" _Nope."_

" _Anytime this week?"_

" _Can't do it, I'm afraid."_

 _To me, he didn't sound to afraid. He sounded neutral, almost happy at the fact his week was going to be filled up with nothing but work. Then again, for him, this was technically his playtime, even if he was stuck with machines._

" _Tails, you can't just keep working forever. You got to get outside and enjoy being a kid once and while. It won't last forever."_

" _Well, I have work to do. We all have work to do. After all, we are the heroes of the village and we need to make sure no one gets the drop on us. I just work more with machines and I don't have much time for other stuff. Don't worry, I'm sure someone will play with you, even if it's not me. And I'll eventually have time. It'll all work out."_

 _But it never did. As soon as I walked out of that workshop, I knew things weren't ever going to work out, even if it was just a hunch. The others wouldn't play; all of them were busy like Tails. Though I would ask, none of them would ever agree again._

 _Sure, we would still have games like volleyball or mindless ones where we would just do stupid stuff, but it was never the same. It was always the exception. Anytime I said something like tag or hide and seek, everyone would just question why I would want to do something so childish._

 _It wasn't childish to me. It was just plain simple fun, without strict rules but not complete nonsense._

 _I would see my friends less and less after that, generally only coming out once a week for any get together, Eggman being one of the few reasons we would stick together at all._

 _And it all started with the one denial…_

 _The promise that wasn't kept…_

 _And it was that day I heard a voice, one in the very back of my mind. A tiny whisper, but I still remember the words._

" _ **He isn't going to be there for you anymore, so why should we be there for him?"**_

* * *

I snap out of my thoughts as the Chao began poking my cheek, her face painted with worry.

"Sorry," I apologize, "Just some memories coming back to me."

"Chao?" The Chao says, the ball above her head turning into a question mark.

" **Don't say anything more!"**

Ah, the voices return. And with them, the insanity.

"Give her a chance! She can't do anything to you, or give the information to anyone we know."

" **Why should we put any trust in her?"**

"If anything, for ourselves. We can't just let this burden us for days, months, maybe even years on end. Let our feelings out so we can at least lose some of the stress they bring us."

" **But-"**

"We don't have to say everything. We don't need to follow an extreme."

The harsher voice beaten, I decide to follow along with the softer voice. After all, she can't even tell anyone else if all she says is her species name. My words will be kept a secret, whether she wants them to be or not.

"It was just an old memory about someone I saw as a little brother," I explain, "We used to play all the time a few years back, but one day we stopped all together. See, he was good with machines, despite being self taught, and he worked on making different inventions and testing them out, which is why he stopped playing. He promised me we would play eventually, but we never did. He buried himself in work and made it so I only would see him a few times, and most of that was when he was showing me his inventions."

"Chao Cha Chao?" The Chao says, making a few gestures that I try to put together.

"You want to know what happened between us?"

She nods.

"Well, uh, I kinda left the island we lived on, without telling anybody because I didn't want to be forced to stay. No one was kind to me or treated me with respect, no matter how much I did for them. I don't even think anyone knows I'm gone yet, even though it's been a week, or if they did they probably thought I was kidnapped. Still, I worry that someone from that island will find me and take me back, forcing me to remain there like a prisoner, just like I did to myself because of their false friendships."

My head falls as I feel a part of my emotional dam breaking, letting lose some of the opinions I don't want anyone else to hearing.

"Honestly, I wouldn't go back unless I absolutely had to, and even then it would be a slim chance," the words start flowing from my mouth in waves, "I saved them all the time, and they hardly ever gave me any respect or even simple kindness. Even when I tried to show them how much they needed me, it felt like I was being tricked into helping them afterwards. I wanted to be the hero and help others, I really did, and maybe I still do, but I never could be the hero in their eyes. Almost everyone there would go for the biggest craze or the person who looked the best, even though I helped them all the time. I tried manning up to the challenge, and everyone left me in the dirt no matter how hard I tried."

I let my voice drop, the intensity being sweeped away.

"But sometimes, I really wish I had someone to play with more often. I wish I didn't have to put such a focus on being this big time hero that I could play with others, and enjoy my youth. But I felt like everyone would make fun of me if they saw the supposed mature hero playing games like a child. Maybe that's the real reason I left. No one was truly my friend, and I couldn't stand it. Even though I can stand being alone, I still get lonely when there is no one at all. I just want to be free and happy, but sometimes it seems like I can't do that."

A weight fell on my arm, and I look to see the Chao on me with misty eyes.

"It's okay," I tell her as I pull her into my arms, "Like I said, I left and I'm not going back. I'm sure I can find someone who's nicer on some other island, or maybe the mainland. Don't worry a thing about me."

The Chao still cries, crying for me and the suffering in my past. It's a nice feeling, in a way, to know she cares, at least somewhat. Even if my story isn't completely heartbreaking, seeing as there is worse pain anyone can go through, she still weeps for me.

" **It's a trick!"**

"Shut up and let us have peace for a moment!"

I mentally tune out the voices. Whether this is a trick or not, I like the feeling and I want to enjoy it without my mind arguing about whether or not it's real or fake, because it's at least something. The kindness I have been searching for, have I finally found it in this creature I have never seen before?

Suddenly, I feel something on my arm, and it isn't my Chao, as she is still in my arms. I turn to see… another one? It's almost exactly the same as the first, the only difference being that it has crescent moons on its face instead of hearts.

"Is this one of your friends?" I ask the first Chao.

Before she can answer, I feel something on my leg. Looking down it's another Chao! This one doesn't have anything on its cheeks. Instead, a large star decorates its belly.

I don't even have a chance to say anything before more Chao come in, at least two dozen give or take a few. All of them have one extra detail about them that sets them apart, a little extra design that gives them some personality.

All of them surround me, but not in a way that's suffocating. It's… pleasant.

And for the first time in months, I don't feel so alone anymore.

 **That's a wrap!**

 **Sonic: Now, don't take forever on the next chapter!**

 **I know I could say that I will get it out faster because next chapter is where some cool things are going to happen, which they are, but I'm not going to because I'll probably run into something that will slow my process down.**

 **Sonic: If you do not, Chaos so help me, I will drag you to your computer and make you write!**

 **Yeah... but you can't follow me outside this room. And I'll probably find a way to do something else.**

 **Sonic: You're impossible.**

 **Yeah... I know.**

 **To all my readers, watchers, and reviewers, Stay Golden!**


End file.
